Chapter 41 (2/2)
-Crystal: The lord of Windia wants to meet you.
-Jackson: ...Eh?
-Crystal: Come here first. There will be amazing news. Huhut.
-Jackson: I understand. I’ll go down quickly.
Amazing news... my head hurt. I would have to think about it while going down. I started to quickly descend the Loch Mountains. The way down was much easier than when I climbed up. For climbing and life, you became much lighter after accomplishing something.
Suddenly, I arrived at the north gate.
“Father, over here!” In the distance, Kim Sujeong beckoned to me. She was standing at the entrance of the gate. By the way, there was a familiar face next to her.
“Kerenos?”
He looked a bit different from his normal appearance. He was wearing a sleek white and light green armor. The armor and the spear he held looked very good together. I started nagging him as soon as I saw him. “Where did you go? This guy. Is it good to wear expensive clothes alone?”
I was grumpy because he suddenly disappeared and came back wearing something good. Kerenos laughed. “Haha, I’m sorry Old Man.”
“Father, there is a reason for this.”
“Reason...?”
“Yes, in fact, Kerenos...”
Kim Sujeong told me a small story about what had happened. It started with going to a flower garden after they split up, the guard arresting her, and then Kerenos saving her from prison. Kerenos accidentally learned that I was scouting the Loch Mountains and said he wanted to see it for himself when I reported to the lord.
“This is what happened.”
“Hrmm, so he is a knight here?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
...It wasn’t unusual. I told him, “Don’t expect me to speak in honorifics, whether you are a knight or knight captain. This guy.”
“Haha, I don't want that either. I’m a lot more comfortable now.”
“Damn guy. So where it the lord?”
“I’ll take you.”
After a while, Kerenos and I were able to reach the lord’s castle. Kim Sujeong decided to wait outside with Cer.
Knock knock!
“Lord, it’s Kerenos.”
“Come in!”
Creak.
The door opened and the lord’s clean office was revealed. There was an eagle head on the wall, a silver sword and armor were visible and the bookcases filled with all types of books were quite impressive.
“Hello! Are you Grandfather Jackson?”
I lowered my head at the sudden voice. Why was a kid here? Don’t tell me...?
“I am the lord.”
Huh? He looked to be the same age as Seohui... no, a bit older? I went down on one knee and bowed as Kerenos taught me. “I greet the lord.”
“It is nice to meet you. I am Edward, lord of Windia. Are you an adventurer?”
Edward had a boyish voice.
“That's right.”
“I see. I received a report that you went to the orc village to complete the map of the Loch Mountains. Is that true?”
“That’s right. I’ve been to the orc village myself.”
The two people looked surprised by my words. I saw their eyes growing wider than I expected and was also surprised.
“You went in there by yourself? Amazing! It is amazing that you came back alive from Windia’s forbidden zone!”
...Forbidden zone? I didn’t know that. I just entered it.
“I like you. How about you become my knight? Do you want to be my knight?”
Ttiring~
[The lord has asked you to be his knight.]
[If you agree, your class will change to ‘Knight of Windia.’]
Knight of Windia...
Maybe if I met this little guy first then I would have agreed right away. However, now I was walking on the culinary path. I firmly declined. “I’m sorry. I can’t be a knight.”
“It is too bad. What is the reason?”
“I’m a person walking on the culinary path.”
“...A chef?”
“That's right.”
“Is this a lie?”
Edward wondered like he couldn’t believe it. Well, I could understand why they didn’t believe it. It was the same with Chen and Sujeong.
“It is true.”
“Don’t lie! How can a chef enter the forbidden zone and come back alive? Tell me honestly!”
“There seems to be a misunderstanding. I’m really a chef...”
“Uhuh! Are you lying because you don’t want to by my knight?”
I couldn’t help laughing. It was because the image of my second granddaughter, Seohui, overlapped with the image of the little lord. Suddenly I wanted to see her. I should make a video call.
“Be honest! What is your real class?” He was reprimanding me but he wasn’t dignified at all. He looked cuter than I thought and I unwittingly became mischievous.
“Sigh, it can’t be helped. I'll tell you the truth.”
“Huhu, yes. It seems that you will tell the truth now after my stern rant. Tell me. What is your real class?”
I almost burst out laughing at Edward’s pretenses. I bit my lip. “I...”
“You...?”
“I don’t have an ordinary class.”
“Huhu, my guess is correct. I’m a genius. Hahaha.”
I saw him boasting about his keen observation and felt like laughing again. I was struggling to resist my laughter.
“I’m a legendary...”
“Ohh! Knight? Warrior? Or assassin? Archer? No, Grandfather wouldn’t do a manual job like that. Yes! Are you a retired archmage? Yes, you must be! You are a legendary...”
“Chef...”
“Hey!!!!”
“Hohoho ♡”
It was always fun to tease a little boy.
[1] 6.25 incident stands for June 25th, 1950, the date when North Korea invaded South Korea